Sectional upwardly acting doors and like closures



Sept. 13, 19 0 E. L. STROUP 2,952,313

SECTI ONAL UPWARDLY ACTING DOORS AND LIKE CLOSURES Filed Oct. 4. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

Ear/1., S/rof I @M? Sept. 13, 1960 E. 1.. STROUP 2,952,313

' SECTIONAL- UPWARDLY ACTING DOORS AND LIKE CLOSURES Filed 001;. 4. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l 26 25 a 7 :lll l I I Z5 52. 1% .7.

' INVENTOR. 6/70 41,0

x g BY (Q United States Patent SECTIONAL UPWARDLY ACTING DOORS AND LIKE CLOSURES Earl L. Stroup, Hartford City, Ind., assignor to Overhead Door Corporation, Hartford City, Ind.

Filed Oct. 4, 1956, Ser. .No. 613,910

6 Claims. :(Cl. 160-209.)

This invention relates to improvements in sectional upwardly acting doors and like closures.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a sectional upwardly acting door or like closure in which the sections and also the hinge members are formed of plastic.

Second, to provide a sectional closure in which the sections are formed of plastic and comprise panels and 1 stiles which constitute panel reinforcing members, the resulting structure being relatively light in weight but being strong and rigid.

Third, to provide hinges formed of plastic on the sections.

Fourth, to provide a hinge structure having these advantages provided with spindle supporting brackets.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will .appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed .out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a iragmentary vertical section on a line 1-1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary inside elevational View] Fig. 3 is. an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustrating the relationship of one .of the hinge members to the panels hingedly connected thereby.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view partially in section on a line corresponding to broken line 44 of Fig. .3, a track engaging roller not shown in Fig. 3 being shown in Fig. 4.

Figs. 5 and 6. are perspective inside views of the coacting hinge members. I

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the spindle brackets.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view in vertical section illustrating the hinging or pivotal relation. of the hinge members, the hinge members being shown in full lines and closure sections and spindle being shown in section.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional viewrcorresponding generally to that of Fig; 8 showing the manner of assembling and disassembling the sections.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section on a line corresponding to line .1-0-10of Fig.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a modified form or embodiment of one of the hinge members provided with spindle brackets.

In the accompanying drawing .1 represents :a structure having a door opening therein and .2 the sill of the :door

opening.

The embodiment of 3m'y invention illustrated is :an adaptation to an upwardly acting door' which includes tracks designated generally by the numeral 3 and comprising inwardly inclined uprightportions 4, substantially horizontal top portions '5 and curved portions 6 merging into the upright and horizontal portions. The details of the track form no part of myrpresent invention.

The door illustrated comprisesa plurality of intermediate sections 7, atop section 8 and a bottom section 9. These sections are horizontally articulated. Upwardly acting doors with horizontally articulated sections in association with the tracks are old in the art.

In the embodiment illustrated the sections comprise panels 10 formed integrally of plastic and having inwardly converging flanges 11 on their, horizontal edges. These flanges are curved to provide outwardly curved faces 12. The meeting edges of the flanges are rabbeted at 13 for interlapping engagement when the panels are in aligned relation as is illustrated in Fig. 3. The top and bottom panels are provided with inwardly projecting flanges 14 on their upper and bottom edges respectively as is shown in Fig. 1. These flanges 14 are desirably straight as illustrated.

The panels are reinforced and the flanges are supported by the stiles 15 which are laterally spaced and fixedly secured to the inner sides of the panels. The stiles are conformed at their upper and lower ends to supportingly fit the flanges 11 and are fixedly secured thereto. The manner of securing the stiles to the panels and the flanges is not illustrated but they may be merged by heat or by the use of solvent suitedto the particular plastic used.

The sections are hingedly connected by hinges, also formed of plastic, there being a plurality of these Phinges located desirably in longitudinally spaced relation with hinges located at the ends of the panels. The hinges illustrated comprise the coacting hinge members '17 and 18, the hinge member 17 being provided with a longitudinally extending segmental bearing 19 while the member 18 is provided with a knuckle 20 coacting with the bearing 19. These hinge members have peripheral-1y curved surfaces 21 and .22 respectively which are fittingly disposed within the curved faces of the flanges and fixedly secured thereto. Again, the manner of securing the hinge members is not illustrated butthey may be fused by heat or integrally connected to the flange either by heat fusing or by means of solvent.

The hinge member 18 has a peripheral bearing recess 23 with which the projecting curved tongue-likebearing 24 of the hinge member 17 coacts. These coengaging parts serve to connect the hinge members and to 'hold the bearing knuckle 20 in the bearing 19. The parts may be assembled by swinging to a position such 'asrjis illustrated in Fig. '9. However when they are in operative position, that is, as the sections pass frornthe closed position as shown in Fig. l to open position on the horizontal track 5 the hinging action of the sections relative to each other is not such as to disengage the bearing parts of the hinge members.

For the sake of lightness and the saving of material and also to receive the lugs 2'5 of the spindle brackets 26 when desired the hinge members 17 are provided with a longitudinal recess 2611,1116 lugs '25 "being shaped to non-rotatably fit within the recess and are fixedly secured therein with the brackets projecting rearwardly from the hinge members. The brackets are provided with holes 27 receiving the spindles '28 for the track engaging rollers :29. The tracks are of channel-section, as is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the upper closure section is provided with a supporting bracket '30 for the 'spindles 28 of the top rollers. These brackets '30 are of general closed position it closes against the jamb. That feature,

however, broadly considered old in'the The tongue like bearing members 24 provide shoulders 31 which coact with the end edges 32 of the bearing recesses or surfaces 23 to prevent endwise movement of the hinge member's relative to each other.

' In the embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 11, the hinge member 17 is provided with projecting end portions 33 and the inner ends 35 of the brackets 34- are conformed to fit these projecting portions and are fixedly secured therein. This constitutes a reinforced connection for the brackets to the hinge members.

, I have illustrated a highly desirable embodiment of my invention. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe other adaptations or embodiments which I contemplate as it is believed that this disclosure will enable .those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed :as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: 1. An upwardly acting door or like closure assembly including horizontally articulated top, bottom and intermediate sections, the sections comprising panels formed integrally, the intermediate panels having inwardly projecting converging flanges and transversely curved outer outer faces on both longitudinal edges, the top and bottom panels having like flanges on their bottom and top edges respectively, and longitudinally spaced hinge connections for adjacent sections comprising hinge members and having curved portions fixedly seated in said curved faces of said flanges in coacting pairs, one hinge member of each pair having a longitudinally extending segmental bearing and the other a longitudinally extending bearing engaging knuckle coacting with said bearing and also having a transversely curved bearing surface spaced from the panel flange to which it is secured and coacting therewith to constitute a curved bearing recess concentric with said bearing engaging knuckle, the hinge member having the longitudinally extending bearing therein having a projecting curved tongue-like bearing member coacting with said bearing recess.

2. A closure including a plurality of hingedly articulated sections comprising panels formed integrally of plastic and having inwardly projecting converging flanges on their adjacent edges, said flanges having transversely curved opposed faces, outer and intermediate stiles of plastic disposed on the inner sides of the panels and fixedly secured thereto with their ends adjacent said flanges in abutting supporting relation thereto, the outer stiles being flush with the outer edges of the panel and coacting pairs of binge members for said sections formed of plastic and seated in and fixedly secured one in each of said flanges of said panels, one hinge member of a coacting pair having an inwardly facing longitudinally extending segmental knuckle element extending from end to end thereof, the other hinge member of the pair having a pintle element extending from end to end thereof and supportedly seated in said knuckle element and also having a transversely curved bearing element concentric with and spaced radially from the axis of said pintle element and coacting with the panel flange in which the hinge member is seated to provide a curved recess concentric with the bearing knuckle opening at the inner edge of the hinge member, the hinge member having said knuckle element having a tongue like bearing element projecting from the edge thereof and proportioned to enter said recess when presented endwise thereto in coacting bearing engagement with said second bearing element.

3. A closure including a plurality of hingedly articulated sections comprising panels formed integrally of plastic and having inwardly projecting converging flanges on their adjacent edges, said flanges having transversely curved opposed faces, coacting pairs of binge members for said sections formed of plastic and seated in and fixedly secured one in each of said flanges of said panels, one hinge member of a coating pair having an inwardly facing longitudinally extending segmental knuckle element extending from end to end thereof, the other hinge member of the pair having a pintle element extending from end to end thereof and slipportedly seated in said knuckle element and also having a transversely curved bearing element concentric with and spaced radially from the axis of said pintle element, the hinge member having said knuckle element having a tongue like bearing element projecting from the edge thereof and proportioned to enter said recess when presented endvn'se thereto in coacting bearing engagement with said second bearing element.

4. An upwardly acting door or like closure assembly including a plurality of horizontally articulated sections comprising panels formed integrally of plastic and having inwardly converging flanges on their adjacent edges, said flanges having curved opposed faces, outer and intermediate stiles of plastic disposed on the inner sides of said panels and fixedly secured thereto with their ends in fixed supporting relation thereto, the outer stiles being flush with the inner edges of'the panels, hinge connections for adjacent longitudinal edges of adjacent sections including coacting a first and a second hinge members formed of plastic seated in and fixedly secured one in each flange of adjacent edges of the panels, the first hinge member having an inwardly facing segmental knuckle extending longitudinally thereof, the second hinge member having an outwardly facing pintle element extending longitudinally thereof and in coacting seated engagement with said knuckle element of said first hinge member, said second hinge member also having a transversely curved bearing spaced radially from and concentric relative to said knuckle element of said first hinge member, said first hinge member having a tongue like bearing member projecting from the edge thereof to slidably engage said second bearing knuckle element when presented endwise thereto.

5. An upwardly acting door or like closure assembly including a plurality of horizontally articulated sections having inwardly, converging flanges on their adjacent edges, hinge connections for adjacent longitudinal edges of adjacent sections including coacting a first and a second hinge member seated in and fixedly secured one in each flange of adjacent edges of the sections, the first hinge member having an inwardly facing segmental knuckle extending longitudinally thereof, the second hinge member having an outwardly facing pintle element extending longitudinally thereof :and in coacting seated engagement with said knuckle element of said first hinge member, said second hinge member also having a transversely curved bearing spaced radially from and concentric relative to said knuckle element of said first hinge member, said first hinge member having a tongue like hearing member projecting from the edge thereof to slidably engage said second bearing knuckle element when presented endwise thereto.

6. An upwardly acting door or like closure assembly comprising tracks including upright sections, top sections disposed angularly relative to the upright sections and intermediate sections mergingly connecting the upright and top sections, and a closure comprising a plurality of horizontally articulated sections provided with track engaging members whereby the sections are supported for sliding manipulation from the vertical track sections to the top sections and vice versa, and hinge connections for the longitudinal edges of adjacent sections comprising coacting first and second hinge members mounted on the sections in coacting pairs, the first hinge member having an inwardly facing segmental knuckle element extending longitudinally thereof and in coacting seated bearing engagement with said knuckle element of said first hinge member, said second'hinge member also having a curved knuckle element intermediate its ends and spaced radially from its said pintle element, said first hinge member having a tongue like hearing member projecting therefrom in sliding retaining engagement with said knuckle element of said second hinge member throughout an are at least exceeding the angular relation of the upright and top track sections relative to each other but are engageable and disengagea'ble when the hinge members are disposed at an angle to each other exceeding such engagement retaining angle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Vetterlein July 19, 1927 Johnson Nov. 18, 1941 Apfelbaum May 2, 1944 Rowe Dec. 25, 1945 Ki'ba Feb. 14, 1956 Kiba Sept. 11, 1956 

